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“THE  STUDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 
FOR  THE  STUDENTS  OF  THE  WORLD” 


WORLD  FELLOWSHIP  FUND 

HOW  AN  INSTITUTION 
MAY  PARTICIPATE 


EDITH  HELMER 


Published  jointly  by  a  Committee  of  the  Council  of  North  American 
Student  Movements  and  a  Committee  representing  the  Foreign 
Missionary  Societies  of  North  America  .  * .  .  * .  .  * .  .  * .  .  * . 


WORLD  FELLOWSHIP  FUND 


THE  STUDENTS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 
FOR  THE  STUDENTS  OF  THE  WORLD 


The  An  undertaking,  as  students  of  the  United 
Project  States,  in  recognition  of  our  fellowship 
with  the  students  of  the  world  and  on  their 
behalf,  to  raise  during  the  winter  and  spring  of  1919 
at  least  one  half  million  dollars, — this  sum  to  be 
administered  by  the  regular  foreign  missionary 
agencies  of  the  Church. 

This  effort  originated  at  the  International  Student 
Volunteer  Conference  held  at  Northfield  in  January 
1918 ;  it  was  part  of  a  larger  program,  inaugurated 
at  the  same  conference,  which  called  all  Christian 
students  to  a  vigorous  campaign  in  the  interest  of 
a  Christian  World  Democracy. 

The  To  spiritualize  our  new  world  conscious- 
Purpose  ness. 

To  capitalize  for  the  promotion  of  Christian 
world  fellowship,  the  capacity  recently  discovered 
in  ourselves  for  generous  and  even  sacrificial  giving. 

To  establish  in  all  the  earth  those  foundation 
principles  of  Christianity  on  which  may  be  built  a 
new  world  order,  and  from  which  shall  issue  an 
enduring  peace. 


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The  Every  institution  participating  in  this  World 
Goal  Fellowship  enterprise. 

The  Larger  This  missionary  finance  effort  should 
Program  be  undertaken  on  a  local  campus  as 

a  part  of  an  adequate  presentation  of 
the  world  task  and  its  challenge  for  life  service.  So 
it  will  be  well  to  present  the  appeal  for  money  when 
the  stage  has  been  properly  set  with  a  background 
of  keen  and  general  interest  in  the  constructive 
functioning  of  Christian  principles  in  international 
affairs. 

So  also  the  appeal  for  money  should  be  an  in¬ 
terpretation  of  a  deeper  appeal  for  life  service;  and 
the  response  of  a  student,  although  in  terms  of 
dollars,  should  represent  the  deeper  response  of 
spirit  which  means  commitment  of  life,  at  home  or 
overseas,  to  the  establishment  of  a  Christian  world 
order. 

Power  Prayer  for  the  guidance  and  power  of  the 
spirit  of  God  should  be  begun  at  once  both 
within  and  outside  the  committee  which  has  been 
charged  with  the  special  responsibility  for  the  rais¬ 
ing  of  this  fund.  Any  undertaking  worthy  of  the 
issues  involved  will  be  baffling  to  unaided  human 
.resources. 


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THE  PLAN  IN  GENERAL 

General  The  foreign  missionary  agencies  of  the 
Account  Christian  Church,  that  is,  the  denomina- 
of  Plan  tional  boards,  the  inter-denominational 
agencies  and  the  foreign  departments  of 
the  Young  Men's  and  the  Young  Women's  Christian 
Associations,  are  the  channels  through  which  this 
concrete  expression  of  world  fellowship  will  flow  into 
the  life-building  processes  which  are  at  work  among 
our  fellow  students  in  other  lands. 

A  printed  compilation  of  some  of  the  specific  and 
immediate  needs  which  face  these  foreign  mission¬ 
ary  agencies  will  be  furnished  to  the  local  campus 
committee.  Incidentally  this  presents  a  rapid  fire 
survey  of  the  vast  range  and  present  status  of 
Christian  education  around  the  world. 

An  understanding  has  been  reached  with  all  the 
agencies  concerned,  that,  unless  there  is  some  special 
reason  to  the  contrary,  denominational  institutions 
should  be  encouraged  to  contribute  to  objects  named 
by  the  missionary  societies  of  their  respective  de¬ 
nominations  and  that  state  institutions  and  insti¬ 
tutions  on  private  foundations  should  be  encouraged 
to  choose  objects  listed  by  inter-denominational 
agencies  and  by  union  institutions  on  the  mission 
fields. 


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In  view  of  the  fact  that  it  will  be  impossible 
within  the  next  few  weeks  for  the  secretaries  of  the 
Boards  and  of  the  Associations  to  visit  all  colleges, 
it  is  hoped  that  every  person  who  reads  this  pamphlet 
will  consider  himself  commissioned  to  take  immediate 
and  effective  steps  to  initiate  this  enterprise. 

Fine  cooperation  between  the  denominational 
Boards  and  the  student  movements  makes  it  possible 
for  a  Board  to  draft  the  Young  Men's  and  the 
Young  Women's  Christian  Associations  secretaries, 
who  regularly  visit  a  college,  for  the  presentation  of 
the  work  of  the  Board  in  that  college;  and  for  the 
Association  secretaries  in  turn  to  call  upon  denomi¬ 
national  secretaries  and  Board  speakers  for  such  as¬ 
sistance  in  state  and  non-denominational  institutions 
as  their  schedules  will  permit. 

This  World  Fellowship  enterprise  is  not  primarily 
an  Association  affair.  It  should  interest  the  entire 
body  of  students.  The  local  Association  in  all  insti¬ 
tutions  should  hold  itself  ready  either  to  initiate  this 
finance  effort  or  to  stand  heartily  back  of  the  college 
committee  appointed  specially  for  this  purpose. 

The  choice  of  the  object  or  objects  for  support 
and  of  the  time  for  the  campaign  rests  with  the  local 
institutions. 

The  support  of  the  work  already  being  done  in 
the  foreign  field  should  be  continued.  It  is  not 
other,  but  more  work  which  needs  to  be  done.  A 


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single  skillful  effort  will  raise  the  money  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  old  interest  and  for  the  estab¬ 
lishment  of  the  new. 

In  some  co-educational  institutions  it  will  seem 
wise  to  unite  the  interest  and  support  of  the  whole 
constituency,  men  and  women,  faculty  and  students, 
in  a  single  project. 

Other  institutions,  however,  it  will  seem  well  to 
present  the  work  of  the  women's  agencies  to  women, 
and  of  general  or  men's  agencies  to  men.  This  for 
the  reason  that  both  must  draw  upon  our  colleges 
and  universities  for  future  leadership  and  should 
even  now  be  stimulating  an  interest  and  loyalty 
which  will  carry  a  student  after  college  into  active 
participation  in  the  work  of  his  or  her  board. 

In  co-educational  institutions,  even  when  the  ob¬ 
jects  supported  by  men  and  women  are  not  identical, 
simultaneous  campaigns  will  be  desirable. 

Secretaries  of  the  Student  Volunteer  Movement, 
who  will  be  visiting  institutions  of  all  types  in  the 
interest  of  foreign  missions,  will  render  valuable 
assistance  in  interpreting  this  World  Fellowship 
undertaking  to  a  local  committee,  and  in  relating 
the  committee  to  the  proper  Mission  Board  and 
Association  secretaries  and  the  Boards  of  Trustees 
of  Union  Institutions. 


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Literature  The  following  material  for  free 

Descriptive  distribution  has  been  prepared  by 

of  the  World  a  Committee  representing  the 
Fellowship  Fund  Council  of  North  American  Stu¬ 
dent  Movements  and  the  foreign 
missionary  agencies : 

1.  “An  expression  of  World  Fellowship” — by  J. 

Lovell  Murray.  A  general  description  of  this  World 
Fellowship  enterprise.  For  use  of  cabinet,  regular 

committees  and  special  World  Fellowship  Fund  com¬ 
mittee. 

2.  A  Partial  List  of  Immediate  Opportunities — a 
compilation  of  the  objects  for  which  money  is  asked 
by  foreign  missionary  agencies.  For  use  of  the 
special  World  Fellowship  Fund  committee. 

3.  “A  World  Student  Fraternity  for  Christian 
Liberty” — by  James  H.  Lewis.  Designed  to  interest 
the  general  student  body.  For  distribution  among 
men  and  women  students. 

4.  Information  and  descriptive  material  will 
be  furnished  by  the  different  foreign  missionary 
agencies  concerning  each  of  the  objects  for  which 
they  are  asking  support. 


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HOW  AN  INSTITUTION  MAY  PARTICIPATE 


Consideration  This  World  Fellowship  Enterprise 
of  Project  should  be  presented  for  initial  con¬ 
sideration  to  a  small  and  carefully 
chosen  group  of  faculty  members  and  students, 
representing  every  Christian  organization  on  the 
campus. 

Steps  in  Local  A  special  and  influential  committee 
Organization  should  then  be  appointed  large 

enough  to  be  well  representative 
both  of  students  and  faculty. 

This  committee  should  organize  itself  with  chair¬ 
man,  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  chairman  should  represent  the  institution  as 
a  whole.  Necessary  qualifications  are  conviction, 
enthusiasm  and  executive  ability. 

The  members  of  the  committee  should  be  ap¬ 
pointed  not  only  with  reference  to  their  campus 
prestige,  but  also  because  of  their  fundamental  faith 
in  this  world  fellowship  enterprise  and  of  their 
ability  to  carry  their  fellow  students  to  a  similar 
conviction. 

Sub-committees  may  be  appointed  as  needed. 
Suggested  sub-committees  are,  Publicity;  Meetings 
and  Speakers;  Canvass. 

The  treasurer  should  be  an  experienced  student 
or  a  faculty  member.  He  will  forward  the  money 


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collected  to  the  foreign  missionary  agency  concerned 
to  be  transmitted  to  the  fore’°Ti  mission  field. 

Selecting  The  committee  should  study  carefully 
the  Object  the  literature  descriptive  of  the  fund — 
especially  “An  Expression  of  World  Fel¬ 
lowship”  and  “A  Partial  List  of  Immediate  Oppor¬ 
tunities.” 

After  due  consideration  it  should  choose  the 
agency  or  agencies  through  which  the  institution 
might  appropriately  contribute. 

Descriptive  material  prepared  by  the  agency  or 
agencies  determined  upon  should  be  secured  at  once. 

The  choice  of  an  object  or  objects  for  the  gifts 
of  the  institution  should  be  referred  for  consideration 
to  one  small  sub-committee  which  will  report  back  to 
the  larger  committee. 

In  co-educational  institutions,  if  the  men  and 
women  are  to  support  different  objects  as  suggested 
on  page,  it  will  be  well  to  delegate  the  responsibility 
for  choice  of  objects  to  two  small  sub-committees, 
which  after  conference  together  will  report  back  to 
the  large  committee. 

The  object  or  objects  chosen  should,  of  course, 
be  ratified  by  the  large  committee,  and  certain  alter¬ 
nates  agreed  upon. 

The  undertaking  should  be  large  enough  to  stir 
the  imagination  of  the  whole  campus  and  to  require 
the  intense  efforts  of  the  committee. 


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Notifying  the  The  agency  whose  object  has  been 
Agency  selected  should  be  notified  of  the 

Concerned  selection  specifically  and  asked  for 

descriptive  printed  material,  photo¬ 
graphs  and  campaign  suggestions.  The  alternate 
objects  should  also  be  submitted  in  order  of  pre¬ 
ference,  so  that,  in  case  the  first  choice  has  already 
been  taken  by  another  institution,  an  adjustment  can 
be  made  quickly. 

Time  of  The  actual  date  for  the  campaign  should 
Campaign  be  carefully  determined.  Plenty  of  time 
should  be  allowed  for  adequate  prepara¬ 
tion.  A  short  intensive  campaign  is  preferable  to  a 
long-drawn-out  one. 

Publicity  The  widest  publicity  should  be  given  to 
this  World  Fellowship  Enterprise.  The 
advertising  should  be  carefully  studied  and  begun 
several  weeks,  if  possible,  before  the  actual  campaign. 

Nothing  catches  the  attention  more  quickly  than 
graphic  publicity  and,  if  well  done,  nothing  can  be 
more  effective.  Illustrative  posters,  a  series  of  start¬ 
ling  questions  displayed  on  the  campus  in  quick 
succession,  clever  sketches  in  the  college  papers — 
can  capture  and  hold  the  attention  of  even  a  casually 
interested  student.  Good  articles  in  the  college  paper 
will  often  reach  the  last  student  on  the  campus. 

The  Stereopticon  Lecture,  “Christianity  and 


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World  Democracy”  furnishes  a  vivid  survey  of  con¬ 
ditions, — industrial,  social,  educational — the  world 
around. 

“Four  Minute”  students  can  be  trained  quickly 
and  can  most  effectively  reach  every  natural  group 
on  a  campus. 

The  pamphlet  “A  World  Student  Fraternity  for 
Christian  Liberty”  referred  to  above,  should  be 
widely  distributed. 

Circulation  of  the  “World  Reconstruction  Pa¬ 
pers,”  published  by  the  Student  Volunteer  Move¬ 
ment,  will  stimulate  interest  in  post-war  conditions 
in  mission  lands. 

A  special  folder  descriptive  of  the  selected  under¬ 
taking  should  be  printed  and  put  into  the  hands  of 
every  student  and  faculty  member  on  the  campus. 

Rally  A  big  inspirational  meeting  is  undoubtedly 
the  best  way  in  which  to  launch  the  actual 
campaign.  Make  it  a  mass  meeting  if  possible.  Use 
the  best  speaker  available.  The  meeting  should  be 
short  and  to  the  point.  Recent  experience  suggests 
that  pledges  should  not  be  taken  at  such  a  public 
meeting,  but  should  be  secured  by  personal  canvass 
within  twenty-four  hours  after  the  meeting. 

Canvass  The  strongest  possible  soliciting  com¬ 
mittee  should  have  been  in  training  during 
the  period  immediately  preceding  the  rally. 


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The  entire  campus  should  be  charted  by  streets 
or  residence  halls  or  natural  friendly  groups,  and 
a  lieutenant  should  be  assigned  to  each  section.  Let 
the  lieutenants  secure  the  helpers  necessary  to 
cover  their  section. 

Gather  together  the  entire  group  of  lieutenants 
and  canvassers.  Put  up  to  them  the  object,  the 
occasion,  the  spiritual  challenge  and  the  obligation. 
After  several  meetings  of  these  canvassers,  all 
together  or  in  groups,  they  should  be  enthusiastic 
over  the  proposition,  thoroughly  informed  about  the 
need  and  able  to  make  a  good  case  to  a  questioning 
or  slightly  interested  student. 

Make  perfectly  clear  to  this  group  the  plan  for 
the  canvass,  and  the  exact  part  which  each  canvasser 
is  to  play.  Provide  the  necessary  pledge  cards,  and 
also  an  accurate  list  of  the  names  of  the  students  and 
faculty  whom  each  canvasser  is  to  visit.  Duplicates 
of  these  lists  should  be  kept  by  the  secretary  of  the 
central  committee. 

These  solicitors  should  make  their  own  gifts 
before  the  canvass,  and  should  give  in  terms  large 
enough  to  challenge  the  attention  of  the  student 
body.  The  importance  of  this  preliminary  gift  cannot 
he  overestimated. 

Every  student  and  professor  on  the  campus 
should  be  seen  personally  and  unhurriedly.  It  is 
better  that  the  canvassers  go  by  twos  on  this  errand, 
rather  than  singly.  No  individual  should  be  over- 


13 


looked,  and  each  should  be  approached  confidently. 
Gifts  should  be  asked  for  in  sums  that  are  worthy 
of  the  cause  and  also  of  the  giver. 

Pledges  Accurate  pledges  should  be  taken  by  the 
canvassers,  provision  being  made  for  im¬ 
mediate  payment  in  full  or  for  installments  cover¬ 
ing  a  period  of  a  few  months. 

Payments  may  be  made  either  directly  to  the 
Fund  Treasurer,  or  to  a  member  of  the  canvassing 
committee.  The  full  responsibility  of  the  canvassing 
committee  is  not  discharged  until  the  money  has  been 
collected. 

The  last  payments  shall  be  made  before  June  1st, 
as  the  Fund  is  to  be  a  completed  fact  within  the 
present  college  year. 

Report  The  progress  of  the  Fund  should  be  an¬ 
nounced  on  the  campus  by  some  novel  kind 
of  register. 

A  full  report  of  the  campaign  and  a  careful  ac¬ 
counting  should  be  made  through  the  college  papers. 

Frequent  reports  of  the  progress  of  the  object  to 
which  the  gifts  have  gone  should  appear  in  the 
college  paper. 

As  soon  as  the  canvass  is  completed  a  report  of 
the  result  should  be  sent  to  the  headquarters  of  the 
foreign  missionary  agency  whose  object  is  being 
supported. 


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